How Does Nail Fungus Occur?

How Can Nail Fungus Be Treated?

Nail fungal infections (onychomycoses) are the most common of nail diseases. They occur worldwide, and affect both toenails and finger nails. They can cause nail deformities, discolouration, pain and nail loss.

Nail Fungus Facts:

· Toenails are about seven times more frequently affected - this is because the growth rate for toe nails is 3 times slower than for finger nails (the fungal infections have more time to grow in the nail bed)

· Increases in frequency with age, also more common in diabetics and in people with immunodeficiency e.g. AIDS, cytotoxic drugs used in cancer treatment

· More common in male than females

· Most common, infection is from dermatophytes namely the trichopton family and the 2nd commonest fungus is yeast namely candida of albicans

· Infection is contagious and usually acquired through communal bathing, health spas, and saunas and from wearing occlusive (non-breathable) footwear

· Damaged toe nails are more susceptible to onychomycosis

· If not treated, tends to spread

Do I have Toenail fungus?

If you are wondering if you have toenail fungus, it can be helpful to know the signs and symptoms of the disorder.

While the symptoms and signs below may be due to toenail fungus, it is important to remember that other diseases and disorders can cause this nail appearance.

It is important to visit a physician to determine if nail fungus is the cause of your abnormal nail appearance.

· The nail plate may have a thickened, yellowish or cloudy discoloration

· Nails can become rough and crumbly

· Nails may separate from the nail bed

· Usually there is no pain or any symptoms

Images of Nail Fungus before and after treatment

How is toe nail fungus diagnosed

Onychomycosis can be suspected from appearance of the toe nail. A qualified physician can clinically assess your nails for fungal infections and other nail disorders.

However, for definitive diagnosis, nail clippings from the damaged nail should be sent to the laboratory for microscopy and culture.

At DermaSpa MD Laser Clinic, we can collect samples of your affected nails to send for testing. Laboratory tests for nail fungus are covered by the provincial health plan, and do not incur any cost. These tests usually take 2-4 weeks to get results. This test helps confirm the diagnosis and the type of fungal infection.

How is nail Fungus treated at DermaSpa

Dermaspa MD Laser Clinic is pleased to announce a revolutionary new laser treatment for toenail fungus: the Cutera® long pulsed Nd Yag Laser. Laser treatment of toenail fungus is now possible with minimal discomfort and no downtime. Dr. Zahra Alidina and Dr. Perviz Alidina and their team of DermaSpa Medical Estheticians can treat your nail fungus quickly and comfortably with this revolutionary Cutera® laser.

· With the above treatment we can ideally avoid long courses of anti-fungal medication which have potential to negatively affect the liver.

Other treatment options

Anti-Fungal Nail Laquer:

· for mild to moderate nail fungal infections only

· prescription nail polish called ciclopirox (Penlac®)

· Method of application:

o Apply polish on infected nails and surrounding skin daily

o After 7 days of daily applications, nails should be cleaned with alcohol and applications started again

· Pros: easy to apply and minimal side effects

· Cons:

o this treatment is effective in only a very small percentage of nail infections, and recurrence rates are high

o these topical treatments usually do not cure the fungal infection

o this treatment takes a very long time to work – it may take up to a year of daily applications to see results

DermaSpa Skin Tip: Dr. Perviz Alidina and Dr. Zahra Alidina may choose to prescribe this nail laquer treatment for you to use in between your laser nail treatments as home care. This may help to keep fungal levels low in between laser treatments (laser treatments are done 8 weeks apart)

Topical medication: these medications usually do not cure the infection

Oral Medications

There are oral medications on the market, which have been approved to treat nail fungus. These tablets require treatment over several months, and are effective in 50-80% of cases. Recurrence rates are high despite treatment, and many patients may require more than one course of medication.

It is important that anyone considering taking oral medications for nail fungus be assessed by a physician for signs of liver issues. A blood test can be ordered to assess liver function, and determine whether a patient can be given this medication.

These medications are potentially toxic to the liver, and liver function tests (blood tests) must be monitored before and during treatment with anti-fungal medications.

Surgery

For really painful and severe infection, surgical excision of the nail may be an option. This does not always guarantee that the nail will grow back, or if it does, that the nail will be free of fungus, and will not get reinfected. There is discomfort, and recovery time required with surgical nail excision. For this reason it is reserved for severe, painful cases, unresponsive or intolerant to other treatments.

What do I do if I Think I have nail fungus?

If you think you may be suffering from Nail Fungus, you should see a physician to confirm diagnosis, and ensure that this is the cause. You may book a free consultation with our DermaSpa Health Professionals by calling (905)837-7546 or emailing us at
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. At your free consultation we can examine your nails and order a nail culture test as necessary.

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